Wine Chardonnay, White Burgundy wines, New World White Chardonnay wines YouTube The Chardonnay Wine Grape Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is believed to have originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced. The Chardonnay grape itself is very neutral, with many of the flavors commonly associated with the grape being derived from such influences as terroir and oak. It is made into many different styles of wine, from the elegant, “flinty” wines of Chablis to rich, buttery Meursaults and New World wines with tropical fruit flavors. It is widely known for producing excellent full-bodied wines. The cooler zoned climate Chardonnay grapes produce an abundance of fruit flavors. White Burgundy You won't find the word "Chardonnay" anywhere on the bottle but the world's best Chardonnay wines bear only the name of the place in Burgundy, France where they were made. These are known as "white Burgundy" wines, and are usually 100% Chardonnay.

The three primary Chardonnay winegrowing regions within Burgundy are 1) Côte de Beaune, 2) Chablis and 3) Mâconnais. The Côte de Beaune region is home to the greatest of all white Burgundy wines, made in villages of Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet and the Corton-Charlemagne vineyard. Unlike other white Burgundies, these wines are fermented and aged in oak barrels, emerging lucious and full-bodied. Chablis chardonnays are characterised by tingly lemon, green apple, and mineral flavors that can seem sour at first but are excellent when paired with the right dish. There are three levels of quality (and price) from basic Chablis, to Chablis Premier Cru to Chablis Grand Cru. The Mâconnais region is a source of "value" Chardonnays, including Pouilly-Fuissé and Mâcon-Villages, in comparison to other white Burgundy wines. Reliable producers include Louis Latour, Bouchard, Jadot and others.

Domestic and New World Chardonnay California and other domestic Chardonnays are very different in style, usually richer and heavier than French Chardonnays, and are often oaked for a vanilla-bean or smoky bouquet. Oak also lends a golden color to the wine. Big buttery (see malolatic fermentation ) or overoaked Chardonnays can overwhelm delicate dishes and sometimes are made to mask poor quality, flavorless grapes. The best examples of domestic Chardonnay are perfectly balanced with good acidity. Napa Valley Chateau Montelena produces an indisputably balanced Chardonnay, which won the attention of the world in the famous 1976 Paris Blind Wine Tasting that put California wine on the world map. (If you haven't seen it, check out the movie "Bottle Shock" and our short video about this historic event.) Australia, New Zealand and Chile also produce good quality, inexpensive chardonnay with bright tropical fruits. Their style tends to resemble California Chardonnay. Tasting Chardonnay You can pick up apple, pineapple, or the hint of peach.

The warmer climate Chardonnays may have less of the fruits but develop wonderful honey, vanilla, and roasted flavors that really fill the mouth. While many examples of Chardonnay can benefit from a few years of bottle aging, especially if they have high acidity, most Chardonnays are meant to be consumed in their youth. Notable exceptions to this are the most premium examples of Chablis and white Burgundies. Food & Chardonnay Wine Pairings Due to the wide range of styles, Chardonnay has the potential to be paired with a diverse spectrum of food types. It is most commonly paired with roast chicken and other white meats such as turkey. Heavily oak influenced Chardonnays do not pair well with more delicate fish and seafood dish. Instead, those wines tend to go better with smoked fish, spicy southeast Asian cuisine, garlic and guacamole dips. Looking for an interesting alternative to Chardonnay? You might try a Viognier. It offers a full, rich body and intense aromas with high alcohol content. Viognier has tropical fruit and floral aromas instead of Chardonnay's vanilla and butter scents.

It also is somwhat less food friendly in that Viognier's floral qualities can overwhelm light dishes. Try it with seafood bisque or crab cakes, pork or tropical moderately spiced foods like satays and coconut milk curries. (See our video on Viognier for a recap.) Bon appetit! Video In this short video, Rob Moshein presents a brief but excellent overview of Chardonnay and the chief Chardonnay producing wine regions, including Burgundy, France. What is Burgundy Wine What is Burgundy Wine? White Burgundy, Red Burgundy and Cremant - It's All About Place Bourgogne, France. Olivier Leflaive Wine Expert By Stacy Slinkard Burgundy wine is essentially built on two grapes, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with vineyard locations playing a key role in the wine's ultimate character and expression. The highly regarded wine region of Burgundy ("Bourgogne" in French and on bottle labels, pronounced "Bor-gun-yuh") has welcomed oenophiles for centuries.

Situated along the Saone River in the east-central portion of France , Burgundy stretches about 100 miles from top (near the city of Dijon) to bottom (just north of Lyon), producing close to 193 million bottles per year from 68,000 acres under vine in the region's famous chalky, mineral-laden soils. Despite often unpredictable weather patterns, relatively small overall production numbers, and somewhat limited availability worldwide, Burgundy evokes an almost mystical following. Burgundy is all about place. Like most French wine regions , the place name takes label priority over grape names. The names of appellations, communes and domaines (wine estates) dominate the Bourgogne wine label , with little to no label regard for the key grapes contained within. continue reading below our video Why Baking Pans Really Matter While producer, negociant, and regional place names on bottle labels can be confusing for those that don't speak French, keep in mind that Burgundy is built on two grapes: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir .

Burgundy Wine By the Numbers: Burgundy's wine production breaks down to 61% white wines, 30% red, and 8% Cremant de Bourgogne (delicious sparkling wines made in the same method as Champagne). French AOC law dictates that all white Burgundy (aka "Bourgogne Blanc") must be made from the Chardonnay grape and likewise all red Burgundy (aka "Bourgogne Rouge") are crafted from Pinot Noir grapes. Minor grape varieties add a bit of spice to the sea of Chardonnay (claiming 46% of Burgundy's vines) and Pinot Noir (rocking 36% of the vineyard plantings). These supporting grapes include Aligote (the second most planted white wine grape in Burgundy at 6%), Gamay (a black grape marking 11% of the region's vines) and Sauvignon, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Beurot accounting for less than 1%. Burgundy's Wine Regions: While Burgundy may be significantly smaller in size, especially when compared to its equally celebrated neighbor, Bordeaux, the region's influence, impact, and overall importance on the international wine stage is substantial.

Burgundy can be boiled down into five key growing regions or districts to know: Chablis, Côte Chalonnaise, Mâconnais, Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune. These last two districts, Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune, are collectively referred to as the famous Côte d'Or, meaning "golden slope" for the region's fall foliage, and represents the most well known wine district of Burgundy. The wines of Burgundy maintain an impressive reputation for giving significant voice to the region's exceptional terroir. Elegant, subtle, complex, earth-driven, and filled with finesse, Burgundy's wines consistently maintain the prestigious paradigm and revered model for classic Chardonnay and Pinot Noir the world over. Chablis: Most famous for lively, mineral-driven, bone-dry Chardonnay, Burgundy's most northern region of Chablis is the white wine capital, cultivating Chardonnay vines on limestone rich soil structures. The wines themselves are often referred to simply as "Chablis" around the globe or locally as "Beaunois" a Burgundian term for Chardonnay.

Chablis' Grand Cru vineyards congregate on the sunny right bank slopes of the Serein River, while the Premier Cru vineyards tend to gather on south-facing slopes and are rooted in the famous white, chalky, crushed shell Kimmeridgien soils. It should be noted that Chablis's wine classification mirrors the rest of Burgundy in regards to Grand Cru, Premier Cru, and Village (Chablis) appellations with Petit Chablis added to the label mix as a well-priced, entry-level wine. Côte Chalonnaise: Known for solid, value-driven Pinot Noir, powerful, yet balanced white Burgundy and the regional sparkling wine, Cremant de Bourgogne, the Côte Chalonnaise rides right in the middle of Burgundy along the curve of the Saone River. Look for the village names of Mercurey and Givry on labels and producers such as Domaine Jablot, Louis Latour, and Faively. Mâconnais: Well-reputed for offering some of the region's best bargain Chardonnay, Mâconnais lies in the southern portion of Burgundy.

Pouilly-Fuissé is the most well-known appellation in the Mâconnais, offering white wines with plenty of apple and peach, some tropical nuances and citrus notes along with fresh, vibrant acidity. Côte de Nuits: Located just south of Dijon and named for the town of Nuits-Saint-Georges, the Côte de Nuits produces world class, iconic Pinot Noir with over 20 Grand Cru vineyards. The big name vineyards of Romanée-Conti, Chambertin, and Musigny, just to spotlight a few, are all found in the Côte de Nuits. The top of the Bugundian Pinot Noir line is found here, with wines worthy of aging for decades and prices carrying four and five digits for the crème de la crème. Côte de Beaune: South of Côte de Nuits and making up the other half of the Côte d'Or, the Côte de Beaune enjoys a 70/30 split of reds to whites.

However, it's typically the white wines (again from Chardonnay grapes) that make their mark with rich aromas, fuller bodies, and earthy herbal undertones overlaid by ripe pear and apple character. The wines from the Côte de Beaune deliver significant quality without busting the budget. Keep an eye out for wines from Chassagne-Montrachet, Meursault, Pommard, Volnay, and Puligny Montrachet (all village names). Burgundy's Wine Classifications: When it comes to rolling with mid-tier to high-end Burgundian wines, the regions complex classification system will begin to play a critical role. Essentially there are four quality level classifications based on appellations that apply to all AOC Burgundy wines: Regional Appellations, Village Appellations, Premier Cru Appellations and Grand Cru Appellations. Location, location, location - it plays the vital role in determining where the wines of Burgundy fall on the classification scale. The term "Climat" (pronounced "Clee-ma") is a Burgundian term that lays claim to the extreme role that geography plays in Burgundy's wine scene.

A Climat is a well-defined plot of land with very specific soil, slope, and micro-climate conditions. A Climat may be a whole vineyard or just part of one. The higher priced, esteemed vineyards or Climats top the classification at the Grand Cru and Premier Cru levels. Village wines carry the names of the village (i.e. Beaune, Chablis, Corton, Gevrey-Chambertin) that the vineyards surround. Good everyday, entry-level wines with the regional appellation of "Bourgogne" may be sourced from vineyards anywhere in the entire region of Burgundy. Simply stated, the better the vineyard, the better the wine and the higher the classification rank (and price). Regional Wines - Like it sounds, the regional wine classification forms the base of Burgundy's classification pyramid, representing right around 50% of the region-wide wines. It should be noted that somewhere between regional wines and village wines, there is a sort of "catch all" district rank that is more defined than the region of Burgundy, but not all found from a single village. Essentially, when a few larger regional districts are tied together because of similar quality they may be named as such.

Côte de Beaune-Villages is one common example, indicating that the wine is made from grapes that come from one or more villages in the region of Côte de Beaune. Village Appellations - Weighing in with right around 38% of Burgundy's wine production, these wines carry specific village or town names on the labels (i.e. Pommard, Meursault, Mercurey, Pouilly-Fuisse), indicating that the grapes are grown in a specific vineyard village location and not sourced from all of Burgundy. Pommard is a village name that you might see on a bottle label, communicating that all of the grapes were sourced from the village of Pommard in the Burgundian region of Côte de Beaune. Premier Cru - Climbing the classification ladder to the upper echelons of Burgundy's best wines with 10% of the production is the appellation designation of Premier Cru. Meaning "First Growth," Premier Cru refers to wines that have been grown in smaller, AOC defined and well reputed vineyards to spotlight esteemed terroir (dubbed "Climat" in Burgundy).

Labels often carry the shorthand designate "1er Cru" an abbreviation for Premier Cru. These wines are perfect when it's time to splurge, they typically start in the $60 range on the low end and work well into the $100+ price point fairly quickly. Grand Cru - Representing the top 1% of Burgundy's best wine offerings, with just over 30 vineyards ranked Grand Cru in the Côte d'Or, the Grand Cru wines command international attention. The most famous Grand Cru from Burgundy is undoubtedly Domaine de la Romanée-Conti which can easily ask $5,000-$12,000 per bottle on auction sites. Burgundy's Wine History: With evidence of vines planted by the Celts before 200 B.C. and Roman soldiers growing grapes dating back to the first century, Burgundy was recognized early on as premier real estate for growing grapes. Yet, like many burgeoning European wine regions, it was the Medieval monasteries that deserve primary credit for cultivating the region's scholastic vineyards through the Middle Ages.

Experimenting with grapes and land locations, and quickly recognizing Burgundy's epic influence, along with the dominating force of the regional terroir , the Benedictine and Cistercian monks served to identify and define the most ambitious vineyard locations of the region. These prestigious vineyards were destined to become some of the wine world's most prized grape growing land possessions. While honing viticultural techniques and traditions, the combined efforts of Benedictine and Cistercian monks laid much of the groundwork for Burgundy's modern wine scene. It wasn't until the French Revolution that the ownership of Burgundy's vineyards transferred from the church and aristocratic circles to individuals in segmented blocks of land. The regions vineyards were further fragmented when Napolean sliced and diced the vineyards by instituting that all inherited land must be divided equally among heirs. To this day it is not unusual to find a 120 acre vineyard owned by 80+ growers, with as little as several rows of vines under the ownership of a single grower. This fragmented system has made the role of the négociant (a collective house that buys regional wines typically by the barrel to blend with other wines from the same region or appellation) extremely important.

Buying Burgundy's Bargain Wine Remember that you won't find "Chardonnay" on the label of a Burgundy wine bottle, so you're looking for specific Chardonnay-producing regions, village, or estates (aka "domaines") names on the bottle. Chablis, Pouilly-Fuisse, Montrachet, Macon-Villages and Meursault are top picks for white wine finds in Burgundy's vinous landscape. Similarly scout for the village names of Aloxe-Corton, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Pommard, Vougeot, Mercurey, Vosne-Romanee, on a bottle label to point you in the right direction for Pinot Noir. Regional wines with the all-encompassing "Bourgogne" designate on the label will be the easiest on the wallet, next are the village wines which tend to increase quality and character for just a little more cash. The Premier Cru and Grand Cru wines from very site specific vineyard locations known for quality (and limited production) ask the most from consumers in terms of cash, but promise to deliver bottled delight in return. Grab Burgundy wine recommendations and updated reviews here .

Best Value Burgundy Producers to Try: Bouchard Aine & Fils, Domaine Christian Moreau Pere & Fils, Domaine Faiveley, JJ Vincent, Joseph Drouhin, Louis Jadot, Louis Latour, Olivier Leflaive Louis Latour Pouilly-Fuisse 2012 Louis Latour Pouilly-Fuisse 2012 Reviews Winemaker's Notes Pouilly-Fuissé is one of the most popular as well as most prestigious wines from southern Burgundy. This fine 2012, with its pale yellow color and emerald highlights is naturally unctuous due to the low yields of the vintage. There are beautiful white fruit aromas that mix very-well with fine almond notes. There are also Muscat-like aromatics that can be smelt and which linger in the mouth. A wine to be savored while young with lovely minerality and focused finish. Louis Latour Winery Maison Louis Latour is one of the most highly-respected négociant-éléveurs in Burgundy. Maison Louis Latour is the producer of some of the finest Burgundian wines but has also pioneered the production of fine wines from outside of the confines of Burgundy.

These wines from the Ardèche and the Côteaux de Verdon are slowly gaining esteem for their unmatchable quality outside of Burgundy. All of the grapes from the vineyards owned by the Latour family are vinified and aged in the attractive cuverie of Château Corton Grancey in Aloxe-Corton. The winery was the first purpose-built cuverie in France and remains the oldest still-functioning. A unique railway system with elevators allows the entire wine-making process to be achieved by the use of gravity. This eliminates the threat of oxidation from unnecessary pumping of the must. Since 1985, Louis Latour has been selling the wines of its own vineyards under the name Domaine Louis Latour. Louis Latour has been a leader in the environmentally responsible winemaking for over 15 years. Louis Latour has had ISO 14001 accreditation for Environmental Management Systems since 2003 and has been a member of the European association FARRE since 1998- a group of like-minded companies who seek to develop and promote sustainable methods of agriculture.

View all Louis Latour Wines About Burgundy Shop our top rated wine from Burgundy The region of Burgundy is the fairytale land of vines. There are stories of kings, conquerors and commoners recounting the seductive effects of a Burgundian wine. Even now, many wine aficionados and lovers will pinpoint their most memorable wine moment at that first taste of an aged Burgundy. Much of this can be related to the terroir of Burgundy. Centuries of winemaking have led the Burgundians to know which grape clone grows best on which plot of land, including the soil, the angle towards the sun and the elevation – all of these factors contribute to the terroir of Burgundy. Vineyards from around the world plant cuttings of exact Burgundian clones, trying to replicate the Burgundy style. Burgundy is a small region, only about a fourth the size of Bordeaux . The narrow thread of vineyard land stretches from the city of Dijon to Lyon. The five main districts of Burgundy are – from North to South - Chablis , Côte d'Or, Côte Chalonnaise, Maconnais, and Beaujolais .

Chablis is far removed geographically (above Dijon) and adheres to its own classifications. Beaujolais is its own region due to grape variety, vinification methods and regulations. Leaving us with the Côte d'Or, Côte Chalonnaise and Maconnais as the heart of Burgundy. Grapes of the region are easy to remember - Pinot Noir for reds, Chardonnay for whites. Burgundy can be called home for both varietals, despite their increasing presence in every winemaking country. In this area red wines out number whites, although the quality for both is unparalleled. A bit of History... Once owned and run by the church and nobility, the vineyards of Burgundy were seized during French Revolution and sold off piece by piece. Further separation occurred with Napoleonic Law, which ordered that inherited land be divided among children equally. These two factors put Burgundy where it is today – a myriad of vineyards and villages, each with a number of growers and producers. Négociants Burgundy is organized by plots of land and labeled as such. About half of Burgundy works on a négociant system.

Growers of small plots sell grapes, or more often, barrels of already made wine, to négociant houses who then blend it with other wines from that region and put it under their label. While the négociant system may sound like a way to produce mass amounts of anonymous wines, that is, luckily, not the case. Wines are labeled with a sense of place, so you know what land you are getting. There are some négociant houses that are much more renowned and consistent than others, and for the most part, the system works. But times are changing. Some growers are purchasing more land and making the wine on their property, under their label, for more consistency. On the other side, négociant houses are buying up their own vineyards so they will have more control over winemaking. Classification System The classification system is similar to a pyramid. At the base of the pyramid is the most basic of the classifications, the Burgundy AC, meaning grapes can come from anywhere in the Burgundy region.

Next up is a village wine, such as Côte de Beaune or Côte de Nuits, or the villages within these regions, like Givery-Chambertin or Puligny-Montrachet. The label will say Appellation Puligny-Montrachet Controlée. At the next level is the premier cru. A wine that says Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru will still be Appellation Puligny-Montrachet [premier cru] Controllée, but may include the premier cru vineyard name, such as Les Pucelles. At the tip of the pyramid are the grand cru vineyards. There are only 30 in the Côte d'Or and the name of the vineyard is the appellation name. About France - Other regions When it comes to wine, France is a classic. Classic blends, grapes and styles began in the country and they still remain. Think about it - people ask for a Burgundian style Pinot Noir , they refer to wines as Bordeaux or Rhone blends - Champagne even had to pass a law to stop international wineries from putting their region on the label of all sparkling wine.

The top regions of France are: Bordeaux , Burgundy , Champagne , Languedoc-Roussillon , Loire , Rhone . And these regions are so diverse! It makes sense that wine regions throughout the world try to emulate their style. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay , Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are no longer French varieties, but international varieties. They may not be the leader of cutting edge technology or value-priced wines, but there is no doubt that they are still producing wines of great quality and diversity. Customer Reviews White Burgundy: The Ultimate French Chardonnay | Wine Folly Advanced , Articles , Burgundy , Chardonnay , Favorite , France , Full-Bodied White Wine Get to know the basics with White Burgundy (Bourgogne) wine, the ultimate French Chardonnay. Included are 4 primary styles to know and useful tips on taste, what to expect to spend and food pairing from Chardonnay-addict and sommelier, Morgan Harris. For winemakers, white Burgundy may just be the Helen of Troy of Chardonnay because nearly everyone who’s ever made Chardonnay has looked towards white Burgundy as the golden standard.

All in all, white Burgundy is just Chardonnay, but the region is also the origin place of the variety, which is by the way, the world’s most planted white grape . In Burgundy, the combination of climate, land and tradition produce a wine that is coveted by many and never precisely replicated anywhere else. “White Burgundy is the crack cocaine of Chardonnay.” Once you’re hooked on white Burgundy, there’s no going back. White Burgundy is the crack cocaine of Chardonnay. Sommeliers and retailers who sell white Burgundy sound like drug dealers: “Just try some, you’ll love it…” Now that you’ve had a proper introduction, let’s get started exploring the region and the wine. While people have dedicated their lives to understanding the region, anyone can be learn how buy and appreciate white Burgundy. Getting Started with White Burgundy Other Burgundy Whites Pinot Blanc –Found in Nuits-St-Georges Pinot Gris –A mutation of Pinot Noir Sauvignon Blanc –Found in the Saint-Bris appellation Broadly, white Burgundy can be found in four production areas within Burgundy.

Each area has a different terroirs and characteristics and thus, different flavor profiles: Bourgogne Blanc ($$$): unoaked simple wines with mineral and apple notes Chablis ($$$$): unoaked wines that are zippy and lean with lime-like mineral flavors Mâconnais ($$$): usually unoaked wines with melon and starfruit notes Côte de Beaune ($$$$$): typically oak-aged wines with rich fleshy melon and starfruit flavors and undertones of truffle and hazelnut ($) $5–10; ($$) $10–15; ($$$) $15–20; ($$$$) $20–30; ($$$$$) $30+; NOTE: There are a few wines from outlier regions within Burgundy not included in this guide. White Burgundy Wine Map Embed map onto your personal site Copy/Paste the code.

<br /><br /><br /><br /> <a href=””><img src=”” /></a><br /><br /><br /> <p>Original Source: <a href=”” title=”White Burgundy Wine Map by Wine Folly” rel=”dofollow”>White Burgundy Wine Map by winefolly.com</a></p><br /><br /><br /> <p> Bourgogne Blanc Simple white wines of Burgundy General flavor profile: Bourgogne blanc are easy-drinking with fresh apple-y and lemon-y citrus notes. The wines will usually be marked by appealing cheese rind or yogurt-like aromas, as well as a slightly nutty, salty quality. Bourgogne blanc almost never see any oak and are light-bodied . They are true vin de soif (“thirst wines”). What’s to know: Bourgogne blanc is the basic white appellation of Burgundy which means grapes used for a single bottle can come from anywhere in the entire region. Although, in practice, they’re usually from vineyards around where the producer is located. Because of this, Bourgogne blanc are often the most affordable and provide the foundational taste profile of white Burgundy.

Food pairing: Great with chicken, middle-weight pastas, or random Thursday nights on the couch. Buying Tips: Expect to spend about $20 for a decent a bottle and look for top vintages or quality producers for the best values. Mâconnais Succulent fruity everyday whites General flavor profile: Flavors range from yellow apple-and-citrus like flavors to tropical honeydew and pineapple notes in richer vintages. Most wines are unoaked and light bodied. Expect more specificity and intensity than the average Bourgogne blanc, but with slightly less power and filigree than the wines from the Côte de Beaune. Mâconnais whites can often have the heft and weight of their more serious Côte de Beaune cousins, but are a little bit more rustic in nature. The more expensive examples will likely have some new oak which adds hazelnut and baking spice notes. What’s to know: Mâconnais is in the far south end of Burgundy (nearly 150 miles to the south of Chablis) right next to Beaujolais . It’s much warmer than the rest of Burgundy and thus offers the most fleshy and plump of all white Burgs.

Food pairing: Great with any sort of middle-weight dishes. Cured pork products, anyone? Buying Tips: Expect to pay between at least $15 and up to $45 for the best examples. Also, if you’re accustomed to California Chardonnay, a warmer vintage village-level Mâconnais wine will be an excellent introduction to white Burgundy. Chablis The antithesis of buttery Chardonnay General flavor profile: The wines here are marked by even leaner, tarter fruit aromas (lime zest, tart green apple, quince and under-ripe pear) than the average Bourgogne Blanc. In addition to this, there’s often a brine-y, oyster liqueur like aroma to the wines along with the classic subtle notes brie rind, yogurt, and white flowers. What’s to know: Chablis is the northernmost region in Burgundy, and therefore the coldest. Chablis almost always has the tartest, crispest acid profile of all white Burgundy. Famous for its intensely chalky white soils, Chablis also contains several Grand Cru vineyard sites.

Many producers will oak their Grand Cru wines, leading to a richer style similar to Côte de Beaune. Food pairing: Oysters and anything from the raw bar are the classic pairings of Chablis. With high acidity and no oak, it is an ideal choice for mixed company. Pairs with everything? Maybe. Buying Tips: Expect to spend from $20 to up to $75 for the fanciest examples. Quality-to-price ratio is always great for Chablis. Côte de Beaune A paradigm in oaked Chardonnay General flavor profile: The most powerful of all French Chardonnay. Expect slightly fleshier, apple-y fruit aromas: Meyer lemon, golden apple, golden pear, quince, and yellow plum. There’s also usually a fresh, earthy aroma of white button mushroom or truffle. The hundreds of years of experience the Burgundians have with new oak shows here: well-integrated, balanced aromas of cinnamon, toasted almond, and toasted bread. What’s to know: The Côte de Beaune is the Beverly Hills of white Burgundy production, and is home to some the most expensive vineyard land on Earth.

The roughly 25 Kilometer strip of the Côte de Beaune produces some of the most show-stopping, intense expressions of the Chardonnay on the planet. Food pairing: Many of the best wines from the Côte de Beaune are a visceral, meditative experience that you could savor without food. However, richer fish dishes, pork, chicken and anything in a cream sauce or with fungi are highly recommended. Buying Tips: The white wines of the Côte de Beaune are the pinnacle of white Burgundy and they are not cheap. Lesser village-level wines start at $25-$30, premier cru quality typically start around $40, and a few grand crus can be found in the low $100’s but often command much higher prices. Burgundy Quality levels The distribution of quality levels in all Burgundy wines by volume Burgundy has 4 quality levels: Bourgogne Blanc: White wines allowed to blend grapes from all over the region. Village: a wine from a specific village that is labeled with the village name. (e.g.

Santenay) Premier Cru: from a specific, Premier Cru (1er) designated vineyard Grand Cru: from a specific Grand Cru designated vineyard NOTE: As you move up in specificity, you move up in price, and generally in oak usage. Famous white wine villages in the Côte de Beaune include, but are not limited to: Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault, St. Aubin, Beaune, and the hill of Corton. Whoa, this article made me smarter. More please! Thousands of wine enthusiasts of all levels subscribe the weekly wine newsletter. You can too. Just enter your email below. Subscribe White Burgundy Vintage Notes Vintage variation in cool climate regions like Burgundy is very common, so if you’re trying to find a great wine, definitely be picky when it comes to the vintage, especially if you’re looking for values. Of course, it’s good to know that high quality producers tend to be consistent year in and year out.

2011-2013: These were pretty even-keeled vintages, not sensational and with their fair share of difficulties during the season, but generally, quality across the board has been good, if not stellar. 2010: In a word: epic. The best wines from the Côte de Beaune will be drinkable on our deathbeds, but best thing about this vintage is it gave much more stuffing and power to wines that are usually a little more lack-luster. 2009: Very warm growing season led to ripe and rich wines. Definitely a “bridge” vintage for those accustomed to new world Chardonnay, but probably not one for the ages. 2008 and older: 2008 was a cold, hard vintage that gave wines with a lot of tart and fresh flavors. In general, I find that tarter, fresher vintages tend to age slightly better that big, fat, ripe ones, but there will always be exceptional producers who buck the trends.

PRO-TIP: Something changed in Burgundy in the mid 1990’s, and no one really knows why, but the wines have started to age prematurely, yielding brown oxidized flavors far before they should in some cases, so buyer beware. Collector? On Cellaring White Burgundy A few loose guidelines help when it comes cellaring white Burgundy. Keep in mind there are always exceptions to the rule. Bourgogne blanc and the Maconnais: Between 1-4 years of the vintage, in most instances, with the major exception being serious Maconnais producers. Chablis and the Cote de Beaune: Between 2-5 years of the vintage for village wines, 4-7 for premier crus, and, and grand crus at 4-10+ A further caveat on white Burgundy: It’s great to drink young, to drink middle-aged, and to drink old (in the best examples). In general, the more particularity and pedigree a wine has, the longer it will last. Keep in mind, that even among experienced white burgundy drinkers there’s much dissent about when a wine is showing best.

SUBSCRIBE TO GET FRESH WEEKLY WINE STORIES Newsletter Signup Chardonnay ‹ Wines.com Home Chardonnay Chardonnay Chardonnay is the world’s most popular varietal wine and the Queen of all white wines. It is successfully produced and enjoyed around the globe in many different styles that vary widely depending on where it is grown and how it is treated by the winemaker. The Chardonnay Wine Grape Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is believed to have originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced. The Chardonnay grape itself is very neutral, with many of the flavors commonly associated with the grape being derived from such influences as terroir and oak. It is made into many different styles of wine, from the elegant, “flinty” wines of Chablis to rich, buttery Meursaults and New World wines with tropical fruit flavors. It is widely known for producing excellent full-bodied wines. The cooler zoned climate Chardonnay grapes produce an abundance of fruit flavors.

White Burgundy You won’t find the word “Chardonnay” anywhere on the bottle but the world’s best Chardonnay wines bear only the name of the place in Burgundy, France where they were made. These are known as “white Burgundy” wines, and are usually 100% Chardonnay. The three primary Chardonnay winegrowing regions within Burgundy are 1) Côte de Beaune, 2) Chablis and 3) Mâconnais. The Côte de Beaune region is home to the greatest of all white Burgundy wines, made in villages of Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet and the Corton-Charlemagne vineyard. Unlike other white Burgundies, these wines are fermented and aged in oak barrels, emerging lucious and full-bodied. Chablis chardonnays are characterised by tingly lemon, green apple, and mineral flavors that can seem sour at first but are excellent when paired with the right dish.

Chablis chardonnays are characterised by tingly lemon, green apple, and mineral flavors that can seem sour at first but are excellent when paired with the right dish. There are three levels of quality (and price) from basic Chablis, to Chablis Premier Cru to Chablis Grand Cru. The Mâconnais region is a source of “value” Chardonnays, including Pouilly-Fuissé and Mâcon-Villages, in comparison to other white Burgundy wines. Reliable producers include Louis Latour, Bouchard, Jadot and others. Domestic and New World Chardonnay California and other domestic Chardonnays are very different in style, usually richer and heavier than French Chardonnays, and are often oaked for a vanilla-bean or smoky bouquet. Oak also lends a golden color to the wine. Big buttery (see malolatic fermentation) or overoaked Chardonnays can overwhelm delicate dishes and sometimes are made to mask poor quality, flavorless grapes. The best examples of domestic Chardonnay are perfectly balanced with good acidity.

Napa Valley Chateau Montelena produces an indisputably balanced Chardonnay, which won the attention of the world in the famous 1976 Paris Blind Wine Tasting that put California wine on the world map. (If you haven’t seen it, check out the movie “Bottle Shock”.) Australia, New Zealand and Chile also produce good quality, inexpensive chardonnay with bright tropical fruits. Their style tends to resemble California Chardonnay. Video Intro to Chardonnay In this short video, Rob Moshein presents a brief overview of Chardonnay and major Chardonnay-producing wine regions, including Burgundy, California and Australia. More About Chardonnay: Chardonnay Food Pairings Tasting Chardonnay You can pick up apple, pineapple, or the hint of peach. The warmer climate Chardonnays may have less of the fruits but develop wonderful honey, vanilla, and roasted flavors that really fill the mouth. While many examples of Chardonnay can benefit from a few years of bottle aging, especially if they have high acidity, most Chardonnays are meant to be consumed in their youth.

Notable exceptions to this are the most premium examples of Chablis and white Burgundies. Food & Chardonnay Wine Pairings Due to the wide range of styles, Chardonnay has the potential to be paired with a diverse spectrum of food types. It is most commonly paired with roast chicken and other white meats such as turkey. Heavily oak influenced Chardonnays do not pair well with more delicate fish and seafood dish. Instead, those wines tend to go better with smoked fish, spicy southeast Asian cuisine, garlic and guacamole dips. Looking for an interesting alternative to Chardonnay? You might try a Viognier. It offers a full, rich body and intense aromas with high alcohol content. Viognier has tropical fruit and floral aromas instead of Chardonnay’s vanilla and butter scents. It also is somewhat less food friendly in that Viognier’s floral qualities can overwhelm light dishes. Try it with seafood bisque or crab cakes, pork or tropical moderately spiced foods like satays and coconut milk curries. (See our video on Viognier for a recap.) Cheers!

Mâcon wines | Burgundy White Wine from Corney & Barrow BEAUJOLAIS Mâcon wines – key styles and wines The Mâconnais’ best wines are largely white and made from Chardonnay . While some red wines are also made, largely from Gamay (though finer, more idiosyncratic examples of Gamay are of course made in Beaujolais , a few miles south), by far Mâconnais’ greatest potential lies in its white wines, represented at all levels of quality and price. While the finest village white wines, eg. Pouilly-Fuissé from southern Mâconnais, show a finesse to rival the Côte de Beaune , inexpensive wines at the everyday level have much to offer too. The Mâconnais appellation contrôlée wine quality hierarchy appears complex and fragmented but is actually relatively straightforward. At a ‘generic’ level, AOC Mâcon and Mâcon-Villages offer clean, simple, apple-fresh Chardonnays. Often made by well-run, local cooperatives, these wines are a reliable bet for wine consumers looking for their first taste of white Burgundy.

Recent advances in vineyard approach – particularly harvesting later and reducing yields – together with improved winemaking techniques have seen the general wine quality move forward in leaps and bounds. Mâconnais is forty miles further south than Chalon and therefore slightly warmer than the rest of Burgundy’s wine regions. This means that even the more basic ‘generic’ AOC Mâcon or Mâcon-Villages wines are typically richer and more appealing than Bourgogne Blanc from the Côte d’Or or the cool Chablis region. Moving up the Mâconnais wine hierarchy, growers may make wines from over forty individual villages in the Mâconnais region, attaching the name of the village to ‘Mâcon’ eg Mâcon-Solutré, denoting a wine of higher quality or specific character. While quality and style inevitably varies from place to place and grower to grower, there is no question that overall quality of these Mâcon named-village white wines has improved in recent years. These wines offer typically pure, ripe apple/pear fruit flavours and attractive textures with decent weight. The Saint-Véran and Viré-Clessé appellations offer similar good quality.

The Mâconnais’ finest quality wines come from the Pouilly-Fuissé district (not to be confused with the famous Loire wine Pouilly-Fumé made from Sauvignon Blanc!), comprising the villages of Chaintré, Fuissé, Solutré, Vergisson, Pouilly-Loché and Pouilly-Vinzelles. Based on warmer, lower slopes and dominated by the imposing limestone hill ‘La Roche de Solutré’, the best wines of Pouilly-Fuissé are rich and heady yet mineral and supremely balanced – try Corney & Barrow’s gorgeous old-vine example, Pouilly-Fuissé Vieilles Vignes from top grower Jean-Pierre Auvigue . Wines such as this are the crown jewels of the Mâconnais region and offer the finesse of Burgundy’s finest Côte d’Or whites yet at very reasonable prices, for the moment at least. As such the wines of the Pouilly-Fuissé area remain one of the best kept secrets of Burgundy and indeed the wine world.

The Mâconnais and its wines – in a nutshell The Mâconnais wine region is best known for its white wines, produced from 100% Chardonnay. The Mâconnais’ white wines are made in a similar style to those of the Côte d’Or, yet are typically much cheaper, therefore representing some of the best value for money of all white Burgundy. Harvest in Pouilly-Fuissé (credit Maison Auvigue) (credit Maison Auvigue) Louis Jadot Chablis 2013 Louis Jadot Chablis 2013 Chardonnay from Chablis, Burgundy, France white wine Reviews Winemaker's Notes The grapes for the Louis Jadot Chablis are handpicked and sorted, then gently pressed and fermented without artificial temperature control. The goal is always to retain the wine's complexity and structure. The wine is pristine, bright and fresh with high acidity and citrus and mineral aromas and flavors. Delicious with poultry, shellfish and lobster. Critical Acclaim WS90 Wine Spectator - "Sleek, with bracing acidity defining the lemon, apple and stony flavors.

Has enough flesh for balance and a long, subtle finish. Drink now through 2020. " Louis Jadot Winery The House of Louis Jadot has been producing exceptional Burgundy wines since its founding in 1859 by Louis Henry Denis Jadot. For the past 150 years Louis Jadot has continued as one of the great names of Burgundy and has gained international reputation for its superb red and white Burgundy wines. Louis Jadot is not only one of the largest producers of estate Burgundies of the Cote d'Or, it is one of the most celebrated exporters of premium Burgundies, owning close to 140 acres of vineyards from 24 of the most prestigious sites in Burgundy. View all Louis Jadot Wines About Chablis Shop for wine from Chablis Chablis got a bad rap when its name was plastered on large jug wines in the 1980's and 90's. Luckily, the wine in those jugs has nothing in common with the actual region. Wines produced in Chablis are some of the most unique in the world.

Typical descriptors of a classic Chablis include a greenish tinge on the wine, minerality and crisp acidity balanced by a round mouthfeel. Chablis is a perfect match to any fish or shellfish dish. Notable Facts The northernmost region of Burgundy , Chablis' location is closer to Champagne than its Burgundian neighbor, Cote d'Or. This northern proximity gives Chablis a cool, continental climate. The soil is a limestone base, and in the best vineyard sites that limestone is covered with Kimmeridgian clay, a material that is very high in marine fossils. The climate, paired with these distinctive soils, makes the area particularly suited for Chardonnay - the almost exclusive white grape of the area. Those who claim not to like Chardonnay will be pleasantly surprised by the uniqueness of Chablis. The winemakers of the region almost always stick to stainless steel for fermentation, and many use no oak at all. If oak-aged, the wine will only be in large French oak barrels, which give the wines flavors that are a far cry from your typical California Chardonnay. About France - Other regions When it comes to wine, France is a classic.

Classic blends, grapes and styles began in the country and they still remain. Think about it - people ask for a Burgundian style Pinot Noir , they refer to wines as Bordeaux or Rhone blends - Champagne even had to pass a law to stop international wineries from putting their region on the label of all sparkling wine. The top regions of France are: Bordeaux , Burgundy , Champagne , Languedoc-Roussillon , Loire , Rhone . And these regions are so diverse! It makes sense that wine regions throughout the world try to emulate their style. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay , Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are no longer French varieties, but international varieties. They may not be the leader of cutting edge technology or value-priced wines, but there is no doubt that they are still producing wines of great quality and diversity. Customer Reviews

Question: Chablis, Pouilly-Fuissé, and Macon-Villages are all white wines from which French region?
Answer: Burgundy